Safety device for elevators



(No Model.) ssheets-sheet 1 F. S. KING.

SAFE-TY DEVICE POB. ELEVATORS.

Patented Deo. 3,

3 VSheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

P. S. KING. SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELBVATORS.

10.416,369. Patented Deo, s, 1889.

(No Model.)4 s sheets-sheet 3.

E. S. KING'. SAFETY DEVICE POR ELEVATORS.

No. 416,369. Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

JESSQL y gmmmn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK S. KING, OF LUDLOVV, MASSACHUSETTS. n

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,369, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed January 30, 1889. Serial No. 298,142. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

zen of the United States, residing at Ludlow, in the county of Hampden and Gommonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Safety Appliances for Elevators, of which the following is a speciication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to means operating in connection with elevators for automatically stopping the upward movement of the caras it approaches either of the floors through which the elevator-shaft extends whenever any portion of the person of a passenger on the car or of any article carried upon the car projects beyond the edge of the car sufficiently to be brought into contact with said floor if the car continued its upward move- In Letters Patent No. 316,152, issued to me on the 21st day of April, A. D. 1885, means for this purpose are shown and described, comprising a hinged frame having its free end arranged adjacent to the path of Inovement of the edge of 'the car and connections between said frame and a clutch uponacrank-shaft, whereby when the former is moved upwardly by an object projecting beyond the edge of the car it will operate said clutch -to set in motion said crank-shaft, and thereby cause the latter `to lift the shipper-rod, which controls the movement of the car through the contact of the crank on said shaft with an arm upon said rod.

The object of my lpresent invention is t-o simplify the construction shown and described in said Letters Patent, and also to render it perfectly sure and positive in its operation.

A further object is to provide means whereby it will be rendered impossible for a passen ger to inadvertently permit his foot to project beyond the edge of the car at any point between the hinged frame andthe lioor above said frame without causing the stoppage of the car before it reaches said floor.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters designate likeparts in the several gures, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an elevator having the safety appliance applied Be it known that I, FRANK S. KING, a citithereto, the second floor of the building being indicated by broken lines to more clearly show the parts beneath the same. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the rst and second floors only, and showing the parts of the safety appliance as having just effected the stoppage of the car. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing one floor only, and showing safetybars located upon two sides of the elevator shaft or well. Fig. 4L represents the application of the safety appliance to an elevator having a shipping-cable instead of a shipperrod.

The letter A designates the elevator-car, which is moved up and down upon its ways B by any of the mechanisms usually employed for that purpose, and .its movement will be controlled by the shipper-rod C (see Figs. l, 2, and 3) in the usual manner, a downward movement Vof said rod starting and an upward movement thereof stopping the car. Upon either floor of the building, as may be most convenient.,l is arranged a shaft D, mounted in suitable bearings and having at one end thereof and adjacent to shipper-rod C a crank-disk d, carrying crank-pin d. Said shaft is also provided with means, as the band-pulley d2, wherebya continuous revolving movement can be imparted thereto from any convenient source of power. Upon shipper-rod C is Inounted an arm c in such manner as to becapable of afree movement about the rod as a center, but which cannot .move lengthwise of the rod. Said arm c is located upon said rod at a point adjacent to disk d on shaft D, and is capable of being moved into the path of movement of the crank-pin on said disk when the shipper-rod is in its lowest position, and when in this position said crank-pin will be brought into contact with the lower edge of said arm and will move it and the shipper-rod upwardly a sufficient distance to stop the movement of the elevatorcar. A coil-spring c', secured to the shipperrod and connected at one end to said arm o, normally retains the latter out of the path of movement of said crank-pin, as shown in Fig. l.

The letter E designates a vertical rod eX- tending upwardly through the elevator-shaft adjacent to one of the ways B and supported IOO in suitable bearings, whereby it is permitted tohave a revolvin but not endwise movement. An arm e upon said rod, and preferably adjustably secured thereto, as shown, is connected by a link c2 to arm c u pon the shi pper rod. A short distance below each of the floors through which the elevator-shaft passes is a lever F, pivoted at or near its middle point to one of the ways B, and adjacent to each of said levers F rod E is provided with arms e', projecting into the path of movement of the lower ends of said levers, each of which arms is preferably provided with an anti-friction roll e2, as shown. A safety-bar G is pivotally mounted in brackets g, depending from each of the floors adj acentto the elevator-shaft, each of which bars projects from said brackets to a position where it barely clears the floor or platform of the car as the latter passes it along the entire edge of said door or platform. Any object projecting beyond the edge of the lioor of the carin the -upward movement of the latter will therefore be brought into contact with said safety-bar and will swing the latter upwardly upon its pivots. A short arm g', projecting' vertically from one end of said bar, is connected by a link g2 with the upper end of lever F, whereby the movement of the safety-bar, as just described, will, through said link, rock said lever upon its pivot, and by the engagement of the lower end of said lever with arm c of rod E the latter will be partially revolved, and through its arm c and lilik c2 will move arm c of the shipper-rod into the path of movement of the crank-pin on disk d and effect the stoppage of the npward movement of the car.

There being a safety-bar beneath each loor through which the car passes and each safetybar being connected, as described, to rod E, each bar performs its function independently of the others and in a quick and positive manner. As the safety-bars must necessarily be located a sufficient distance below the floors to which they are connected to enable them to swing upwardly, as described, it might be possible for a passenger to project his foot beyond the edge of the car after the latter has passed the safety-bar, and before it reaches the iioor above said bar, in which case the foot would be crushed between the lowerside of said door and the platform of the car. To guard against an accident of this nature, I provide each of the safety-bars with a hinged guard H, composed of two wooden or other strips h, corresponding in length with said bars and of such width as to together close the space between said bars and the fioors immediately above them. The strips 7L are hinged to each other. The lower one is hinged to the safety bar, preferably by means of straps 7L', as shown, and the upper one is hinged to the Hoor above, as shown, or, when sliding hatchway-doors which slide beneath the fioor are used, to brackets projecting from brackets g, or otherwise arranged to support the upper edge of said upper strip at a point immediately beneath said sliding' door. The hinges which connect said strips together are constructed to open outwardly or away from the elevator shaft, andl consequently any pressure exerted against them upon their inner side will cause them to perform the function of a toggle-lever to raise the safetybar, and through the lattcreifect the stoppage of the movement of the car. To insure the operation of said guards Il upon `a ver f slight pressure, I prefer to use in connection with each a connterbalance-weight h2, secured to one end of a cord, which cord passes over a pulley h3, mounted in a hanger depending from the floor, and is connected at'its opposite end to an eye h4 upon one of the strips 7L near the line of contact of said strips with each other. A perfect safeguard against accidents of the kind above referred to is afforded by said guards II.

In Fig. l I have shown the parts of the safety appliance in their normal position, in which position they do not affect the usual movements of the elevator-car.

In Fig. 2 I have represented the foot of a passenger as having by its projection beyond the edge of the car been brought into contact with the safety-bar and through the latter having effected the stoppage of the movement of the car. Having withdrawn his foot, thereby permitting the safety-bar and the parts operated by it to resume their normal positions, the passenger can cause the car to continue its upward movement by operating the shipper-rod in the usual manner.

Vhen the appliance is used in connection with elevators the shaft-s of which are open upon all sides like the one shown in the drawings, there will preferablyl be a safety-bar IOO and guard located upon both sides of said i shaft, as shown in Fig. 3, the link g2 of the second bar connecting theA latter with the lower end of lever F, whereby the movement of either of the safety-bars will move said lever F in the same direction. The links y2 are preferably slotted at the point where they connect with the safety-bars; as shown, to enable either of said links to slide upon its bar without moving it whenever the opposite bar is operated to stop the car, thereby lessening the resistance to the movement of said last mentioned bar. IVhen used in connection with :elevators the shafts of which are i11- closed by walls, the appliance herein described will be applied to the doorways of such shaft in a manner similar to that shown and described in the Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to. Then the elevator-car is raised and lowered by means of a cable and winding-drum, I prefer to connect shaft D with the mechanism which operates said drum, as said shaft then revolves only when the drum revolves and the car is in motion.

It will be obvious that the amount of movement given to the shipper-rod by crank-pin d can be accurately preiletcrmined by either IZO the location upon the shipper-rod of its arm' V c or the location of said crank-pinwith respect to the center of disk d, and therefore said crank-pin can be readily caused to not only stop the upward movement of the car, but also to immediately start the car upon a downward movementif it should be desired to do so.

It will be observed that the several movements of the parts of the safety appliance thus constructed are positively produced and that liability of failure of any of said parts to promptly perform their function is avoided.

The appliance, moreover, is simple and inexpensive in its construction and forms a perfect safeguard against a frequent cause of serious and often fatal accidents in the use of elevators.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction herein shown and described, as various modifications therein can be made within the spirit of my invention. For example, I have shown in Fig. 4 one manner of utilizing the safety appliance herein described in connection with an elevator in which the movement of the car is governed by a power-shipping medium composed of a cable instead of a shipper-rod.

As the cable (designated by the letter I) is not sufficiently rigid to insure the perfect operation of a swinging arm mounted thereon, I locate a standard K between said cable and shaft D and connect to the top of said standard by means of a swiveljoint a bracket k, in which is mounted upon a horizontal pivot a lever L. Said lever L is thus adapted to have both a horizontal and vertical movement upon its pivots. A link Z connects that portion of said lever between its pivot and shaft D with the arm e on rod E,

and a spring Z', connecting the same portion of the lever with standard K, serves to normally retain the end of the lever out of the path of movement of crank-pin d. A chain Z2 connects the opposite end of said lever to a collar rigidly secured upon cable I. The direction of the movement of shaftD is in this instance reversed, as indicated by the arrows, and whenever by the movement of rod E, as previously described, the end of lever K is moved into the path of movement of crankpin d said crank-pin depresses that end of said lever and'elevates its opposite end, thereby moving cable l to stop the movement of the car. The flexible connection between said lever andthe cable permits the latter to be operated in the usual manner without affecting said lever or the remaining parts of the safety appliance.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The safety appliance for elevators herein described, comprising, in combinationwith the elevator-car and the power-shipping medium-such as the shipper-rod-a revolving crank-shaft located adjacent to said powershippin g medium, a horizontally-swin ging arm connected at one end to the power-shipping medium and having its opposite end adapted to be moved into and out of the path ofV movement of the crank on said shaft, a lever operatively connected with said arm, a vertically-movable safety-bar located adjacent to the path of movement of the elevator-car, and a link connecting said safety-bar with said lever, whereby the movement of the former is transmitted to said swinging arm,

substantially as described.

2. The safety appliance for elevators herein described, comprising, in combination with the elevator-car and the power-shipping medium which governs the movement thereofsuch as the shipper-rod-a revolving crankshaft located adjacent to said power-shipping medium, an arm connected at one end to the power-shipping medium and having its opposite end adapted to be moved into and out of' the path of movement'of the crank on said shaft, a lever connected by a link to said arm, a second lever operatively engaging and imparting movement to said first-mentioned le- -ver, a movable safety-bar located beneath one of the floors through which the elevatorshaft passes and adjacent to the path of movement of the car, and a link connecting said bar with said second lever, arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

3. The safety appliance for elevators herein described, comprising a revolving crank-shaft, a movable arm upon the shipper-rod capable of being moved into and out of the path of movement of the crank on said shaft, a verticallydisposed rod supported in such manner as to be capable of a partial revolution about its aXis and having an arm operatively connected with said arm on the shipper-rod, a safety-bar pivotally supported beneath one of the iioors through which` the elevator-shaft passes and adjacent to the path of movement of the car, and intermediate connections, substantially -as described, between said bar and said rod,

whereby movement of the former will impart a partial revolution to the latter, combined and operating substantially asset forth.

4. The safety appliance for elevators herein described, comprising, in combination, a revolving crank-shaft located adjacent to the shipper-rod which governs the movement of the car, a horizontally-swinging arm on said shipper-rod adapted to be moved into and out lof the path of movement of the crank on said shaft, a rocking rod or shaft having an arm connected by a link to said arm on the shipper-rod, a rocking lever engaging a second arm on said rod or shaft, a pivotally-supported safety-bar located adjacent to the path of movement of the car, and a link connecting said bar with said rocking lever, arranged and operating substantially as described.

5. In combination with elevator-car A and vits shipper-rod C, the safety appliance herein described, comprising shaft D, carrying crankpin d', arm c, pivotally mounted upon said IOO shipper-rod, a spring normally retaining said arm out of the path of movement of said crank-pin, lever F, movable about a central pivot, safety-bar G, pivotally supported beneath one of the Iioors and adjacent to the plane of movement of one of the sides of said ear, link g2, connecting said safety-bar to one end of said lever F, and suitable intermediate connections ,between the opposit-e end of said lever and said arm c on the shipper-rod, whereby movement of the former will be transmitted to the latter in one direction, arranged and operating substantially as set forth. l

6. In a safety appliance for elevators, the combination, with shaft D, having crank d', and shipper-rod C, having the horizontallyswinging arm c, of rod E, having arms e e', lever F, engaging at one side of its pivot said arm e', safety-bar G, and links c2 and g2, the former connecting arm e of said rod E with arm c of the shipper-rod and the latter connecting said lever F upon the opposite side of its pivot with said safety-bar, arranged and operating substantially in the manner described.

7. The combination, with elevator-car A and its shipper-rod C, having the swinging arm c, of shaft D, located adjacent to said shipper-rod and having mounted 'thereon disk d, provided with crank-pin d', vertical rod E, having arms e e', link c2, connecting said arm c to arm c 011 the shipper-rod, lever F, fulcrumed between its ends and engaging at or near one end arm c of said rod E, horizontally-disposed bar G, pivotally mounted in brackets g, depending from one of the oors through which the car passes, said bar projecting to a point adjacent to the path of movement of said car and being provided at one end with arln g', and link g2, connecting said arm with lever F, substantially as described.

S. The combination, with car A and its shipper-rod C, the latter being provided with the swinging arln c, of shaft D, carrying crank d',

rod E, extending upward through the several floors through which said car passes, said rod being provided with arm e and with an arm e beneath each of the Hoors through which it passes, a lever F and safety-bar G, located beneath each of said fioors, each of said levers engaging one of said arms e', link c2, connecting arm e of said rod with arm c on the shipper-rod, and links g2, connecting each of said-levers F with one of said safetybars G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, with car A and its shipper-rod C, having arm c, of shaft D, carrying crank d', rod E, having arms e e', lever F, engaging said arm e', two safety-bars G, located upon opposite sides of the elevator-shaft, links g2, connecting said bars G, respectively, with opposite ends of said lever F, and link c2, connecting arm e on said rod with arm c on the shipper-rod, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination, with the pivotallymounted safety-bar G, located beneath the floor adjacent to an elevator-shaft extending through the Hoor, of a guard interposed between said bar and the oor above it, said guard being composed of two sections united by a hinge, the upper section being connected by a hinge-joint to the floor and the lower section being connected by a similar joint to said bar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ll. The combination, with safety-bar G, of guard lil, composed of the two sections h, said sections being connected together by hinges and each being similarly connected, respectively, to the floor and to said bar, and weight h2, connected by a cord to one of said sections near its line of contact with the second section, substantially as and for the purpose described.

FRANK KING. Witnesses:

W. N. CHAPMAN, J. E. CHAPMAN. 

